It's the New Year... Have you established & written down your goals yet? If not now, when? Someday?
Welcome to 2007...
Have you set goals for yourself for the next 12 months? Do you know that less than 10% of adults actually write their goals down on paper? It's closer to 3%. Why is that? Is it that people are settling or that they do not want to hold themselves accountable? If you haven't established your goals & committed ink to paper...when? Someday? In case someone hasn't shared this with you, this is your life & you deserve to live life on your terms. I am amazed at how people sabotage themselves. I was speaking to a gentleman yesterday that lives in Northern California. He stated that he really "wished" that he & has wife & 18 month old son lived in Southern California. Imagine that? Someone is settling for less than they desire. Close your eyes right now. If you could live anywhere on the planet right now where would it be? Are you living there right now? I certainly hope so. If not, get moving. By the way, Leslie & I are in our new home... We moved in on New Year's Eve & had out 1st party on New Year's Day! I'll post more about that later!How many people give their goals lipservice? I certainly have encountered my fair share. I am reflecting back at the goals I set for myself for 2006. Some of my goals were simple & effortless, while others made me really uncomfortable, even made me sick to my stomach. I have accomplished greater than 80% plus of the goals I set for my life & myself for 2006. I have also been looking around at the people I come into contact with and have been asking them about the goals they accomplished over the past 12 months. This should be surprising but sad to say it's not... The majority of people who have answered my ads in the past 30 days have not accomplished more than 20% of the goals they set for themselves in Dec 2005/January 2006. On the other hand, the majority of the people that I am working with are closer to my results, even higher. Why in the world is that you ask? Funny you should ask, because I am going to share it with you. Most people pay lipservice to what they want out of life. They are not playing on the court. You know what I mean... how many 3 point shots can you make when you're sitting in the stands? Not many, right? Now, how many 3 point shots can you make when you are standing on the court? If you're like me, you might not hit them all but your odds grow significantly (basketball is not my forte).
People are either moving towards their goals or away from their goals. I have found that the greater the emotional attachment to your goals and not to the outcome, the greater the success rate. When it comes to goals, how are you looking at it? Someday or already achieving it? This is pretty simple & basic yet it can and does make all the difference in the world. If you look at your list of goals, did you write them down like you're leaving a list for Santa Claus? Dear Santa, please bring me a new train set - someday & and new Huffy BMX bike - someday. I was guilty of this. I think back exactly 4 years ago this week. I wrote down a list of goals for myself for 2003. The list read like this:
2003 Goals:
1. Marry Leslie
2. Make $50k more than 2002
3. Move to a house & live on the water - Lake Lanier
Did I set a date for any of this? Nope. Did I take possession of the outcome in advance of receiving it? Nope. Was I attached to any of this? Yes. I was pretty attached to marrying Leslie but other than that nope. Did any of my goals stretch my being and make my hands sweat? Nope. The guy who became my mentor was over at my house watching a bowl game & without me knowing, he drew the number 2 in front of the $50k on line
2. I discovered this towards the end of the night and made some stupid comment like yeah right, how would I do that? He said it's simple Michael; all you have to do is first make the decision and then take the action that takes you towards your goals. You have to be committed to your goals and be emotionally attached to them. Take possession of your goals in advance of receiving them. Well, let me tell you that was the dumbest answer I ever heard and the cynicism & disbelief pushed that right out of my reality. Fortunately for me I got a promotion at work that lowered my income & increased my responsibility & work load & exactly 60 days later, I was ready to take on my life, get serious about goals that stretched me to my core & guess what... I hit every goal on my board for 2003, even with his edit. Life is a choice. Are you choosing well?Let me share something else with you. How many people have taken themselves right out of the game? Sometimes people do this even before playing. I am so guilty of this today. I played tennis with a Lisa today. I know that I am a better player than her. We started playing and all of a sudden this song starts playing in my head -> "Wow, it's been a long time since I played singles tennis, blah, blah, blah" & "this is such a different game than doubles tennis... that would have been a great shot in doubles, woulda, coulda, shoulda, didn't!!!" The first set we went back and forth, 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, all the way to 5-5 and then my internal chatterbox was blaring! I lost the game mentally. Is it any surprise that I started having a hard time being present to the game? I could barely remember the score. I lost the 2nd set 6-3. Lisa did not beat me this morning, I beat myself. Do you know someone that will talk themselves out of attaining a goal or an ambition before they ever set foot on the court? Is it you?I am committed to making 2007 my best year ever & mentoring anyone that is serious about accomplishing the same for their life in 2007. 2007 can be your best year ever… all you have to do is first make the decision & establish your goals, set a timeframe to accomplish them by and then take the action that takes you towards your goals. You have to be committed to your goals and be emotionally attached to them. Take possession of your goals in advance of receiving them.
Create a great day, you deserve it. Until next time...
DREAM BIG!!!
Michael Hamburger
IncomeExperts
IncomeExperts Blog
Currently, I am rewatching
The Secret DVD
